Co-opAbility Institute

Co-opAbility Institute's Mission 
The Co-opAbility Institute is a non-profit research and outreach organization based in Athens, Greece, dedicated to advancing cooperative solutions to urgent societal challenges. These challenges include climate change adaptation, food system transformation, sustainable rural development, marine and human resource anti-fragility, and cultural preservation. Through transdisciplinary research and cross-sector collaboration, we strive to catalyze systemic change, addressing societal dilemmas in a holistic, inclusive, and sustainable manner. 

Our mission is executed by focusing on the following core strategies: 

• Action-Oriented Transdisciplinary Research: We engage in collaborative studies that address complex global issues through an integrated approach, combining insights from various disciplines to create robust, adaptable solutions. 

• Stakeholder Engagement and Analysis: By identifying and engaging key stakeholders, we facilitate collaborative governance structures and collective action that effectively address the issues at hand. 

• Co-Designing Solutions: We co-create systems-oriented solutions with local and international stakeholders. These solutions are developed from the ground up, ensuring that they are equitable and mindful of second-order effects to prevent unintended negative consequences. 

• Holistic Systems Thinking: We apply systems thinking to ensure our solutions are comprehensive, considering natural, human, and technological systems to promote long-term sustainability. 

• Experiential Training Programs: We provide capacity-building programs that focus on systems thinking, collective action, and cooperative models to equip key stakeholders with the tools they need to implement change effectively. 

• Research Dissemination: We ensure the broad distribution of our findings through academic journals and various outlets, ensuring that our research reaches and influences those capable of making tangible changes. 

The Co-opAbility Institute’s expertise spans a range of critical issues, focusing on key areas that address some of the most pressing global challenges. In the area of climate change adaptation, the institute develops adaptive strategies to cope with environmental challenges, employing stakeholder-driven approaches and fostering innovation. In terms of food system transformation, Co-opAbility works collaboratively with a variety of actors in the agriculture and food sectors to promote sustainable practices and innovations that ensure food security and environmental responsibility. The institute also plays a significant role in supporting sustainable rural development, focusing on integrating cooperative models, fostering entrepreneurship, and promoting sustainability in rural areas to strengthen local economies.  

Additionally, Co-opAbility is dedicated to biodiversity and cultural preservation, prioritizing projects that safeguard biodiversity and promote the preservation of cultural heritage through sustainable practices and inclusive governance. The institute’s work is guided by a strong emphasis on social innovation and systems thinking, with research methodologies such as participatory action research, case studies, multivariate analysis, and transformative scenario processes. These approaches ensure that the research conducted is not only empirical but also highly relevant and applicable to real-world challenges.